A popular and versatile herb, tarragon has an intense flavour that's a unique mix of sweet…

Method

Dust the chicken with the flour. Heat the oil and butter in a large, wide pan with a lid, add the chicken, then fry on all sides until nicely browned. Add the shallots, then fry for about 2 mins until they start to soften, but not colour. Pour in the brandy, carefully ignite, then stand well back until the flames have died down. Stir in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover, then cook for 15 mins until the chicken is just tender.

Add the asparagus to the sauce. Cover, then cook for 5 mins more until tender. Stir in the crème fraîche and tarragon and warm through. Season to taste.

Absolutely divine, really easy and completely delicious. I served with roasted new potatoes and added some mushrooms that were left in the fridge. Also omitted the booze as I forgot, but still gorgeous!

Really enjoyed this meal and easy - even for just the enthusiastic amateur. My thoughts: (1) You don't need to flambee the brandy if you don't want to, or you're using an electric hob! (2) Don't worry about the liquid not entirely covering the chicken while cooking. It will still cook and if you're tempted to add more liquid, all you'll be left with is an overly watery sauce. (3) Served with rice and that was fine, but would be good with new potatoes too. (4) Yes, definitely feel free to add some garlic or mushrooms at the start of serving to add some additional flavour. (5) The asparagus goes quite quickly from uncooked to cooked to mushy! Keep an eye on it. (6) Add the chicken to the mixture of oil and butter in the frying pan just before you add the flour carefully as it can splash. And no need to dice the chicken as others have suggested. Even with large chicken breast (eg chicken supreme) it will still cook. Don't worry if it's still looking very pink just below the surface just after you've browned them - that's completely normal. It's not supposed to be completely cooked that early on. I would suggest not taking more than 4-5 minutes (tops) to brown.

Made this for a dinner party last night and my guests wanted seconds. Followed the recipe to the latter except I used dried tarragon and had to add a bit of cornflour to thicken the sauce. I must admit I was a bit worried at the point before you add the creme fraiche and asparagus as it looked really unappetising! However I tasted it and it was very yummy ......... breathed a huge sigh of relief. I will definitely be making this again.

Tried this for a quick supper for 2. It was simple to halve the recipe, but I actually put in a little extra asparagus - 12 spears instead of 8 - also left out the butter just to lower the fat content further. It was delicious, easy to make, a great summer meal served with a few new potatoes and some french beans or peas.

This was great, the only changes I made were to chop the asparagus into quarters and left out tarragon as we don't like it. Was a delicious meal and will do again. Out of asparagus season I think fine green beans would work just as well. I flambeed the brandy (a first for me) and my eyebrows are still intact. Not difficult at all. Fantastic.

We love this recipe and it has become a weekly favourite. I leave out the brandy mid week and it doesn't seem to change the taste much.Easy to prepare, very tasty and goes down well with everyone I've given it to. Usually serve with rice.

I didn't have creme fraiche in the fridge so used light Philly, otherwise the ingredients were as recipe. I served with new potatoes and spinach. I'll certainly be doing this again!! I certainly don't agree with the "keen cook" grade - anyone can do this!!

Pages

Questions (5)

Elgordo18th Feb, 2015

5

I want to make this for a dinner party but dont want to spend too much time in the kitchen when my guests arrive - can i pre make this to the end of step 1. then heat and follow the instructions for step 2 ?

Hi siobhanbrennan1 thanks for getting in touch. Yes that should be fine to do as you suggested. If you make it earlier in the day or the day before - make the dish up to the end of step 1, allow to cool then cover and refrigerate until shortly before you're ready to serve. When reheating, ensure it's piping hot throughout before finishing the dish from step 2 onwards. Have a great dinner party!

Reader offer: £40 off delicious meals

Reader offer: £10 off + 2 free craft beers

Skills & know how

As well as helping you decide what to cook we can also help you to cook it. From tips on cookery techniques to facts and information about health and nutrition, we’ve a wealth of foodie know how for you to explore.

About BBC Good Food

We’re all about good recipes, and about quality home cooking that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re looking for some healthy inspiration or learning how to cook a decadent dessert, we’ve trustworthy guidance for all your foodie needs.

Our recipes

All our recipes are tested thoroughly by us to make sure they’re suitable for your kitchen at home. We know many of you are concerned about healthy eating, so we send them to a qualified nutritionist for thorough analysis too.

Follow us

This website is made by BBC Worldwide.

BBC Worldwide is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). No money from the licence fee was used to create this page. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes.